Should Your Company Outsource Your IT Department?

Should Your Company Outsource Your IT Department?

Your IT services matter a lot to the successes and failures of your infrastructure. An incompetent or lagging IT department can harm your company’s overall efficiency.

Because of this, many companies have to make the tough decision of whether or not they outsource their IT staff, or keep it on site. Healthcare and technology firms are the types of companies that outsource jobs.

There are benefits and negatives to both approaches. Read on to avoid outsource complaints.

Outsourcing IT Benefits

Save Money. When you outsource, you eliminate spending on training and the hiring process and health benefits. You don’t need to pay for extra office space, either. This is what is outsourcing in business at its best.

Professional Grade Staff. An outsourced IT department means that your company is infused with a top rate staff almost immediately. You don’t need to train or educate the staff. In fact, they should have numerous ideas on how they can help improve your company from a technical standpoint.

Less Focus On IT Staff. Your outsourced IT staff will make it easier for you to focus on more of the items that matter for your company. An outsourced IT department should thrive independently of your oversight. While you will need to make decisions on a corporate level, you should not be forced to micromanage the IT team.

Keeping IT On-Site Benefits

When I say “on-site,” that’s a bit of an inaccurate term. To clarify, a company could have an internal IT staff that’s working remote. But in the end, an internal IT staff is most likely to mean some presence of IT staff at the company’s main location.

Greater Control. If your IT staff is internal, you have much more control over their daily ongoings than you would if that same staff was outsourced. This allows you, as a company, to eliminate any technical flexibility you might not be comfortable with.

The fact is, an outsourcing company will have their set way of doing things. Changing them will be difficult. You won’t be able to oversee them in a way that gives you any sort of control.

Improved Communication. Your staff being on-site means its easier for you to communicate with them. If you work with an outsourced staff, you probably will have a point of contact, but any big decisions or agendas will need to wait for the outsource company to free up time on their calendar.

Communicating your needs will need to be done via that outsource company’s organization or project management software. You will need to follow a strict protocol. The outsourcing company has to maintain a legitimate sense of organization, otherwise, they can’t service multiple clients.

Could Ruin Company Morale. When your accounting and marketing departments realize your willing to outsource even one other department, they may feel that their days are numbered. While this might motivate some workers to work harder, it can typically mean a loss of morale and lower productivity. Many people will just look for other opportunities on company time.

For the most part, you don’t want to create a company ruled by fear. It’s always good that people realize they are expected to work hard and provide results, but far another for them to feel that a “cheaper option” is always around the corner that could replace their efforts.

Hybrid

There is always the option of having a hybrid setup whereas one or two IT staff members are internal and the rest is outsourced. This can offer you the best of both worlds.

This allows internal members the ability to manage the situation. They can then serve as your expert communications over all things IT related. Its a great approach for companies that don’t want to dive right into full-on outsourcing.

Verdict

Outsourcing is a great thing that can save a company money, free up company resources for innovation and marketing purposes, and bring in more expertise.

The key is pitching the outsourcing in a way that doesn’t blow company morale. Additionally, you should interview outsourcing companies and get an idea of what the communication will be like. Consider emergency communications as well as simple and typical communications.

Don’t just take the cheapest IT outsourcing option, make sure you get quality, but not more staff than you need. Many companies these days need simple IT infrastructure, an IT outsourcing company might attempt to sell you on services and options that you really don’t need.

In other words, just pay for what you really need.

The Secret To Business Happiness

If you clicked on this link expecting one secret, then shame on you. You should have known there is no “one secret quick fix” when it comes to being happy in your business. Well there is one thing: Love what you do. But unfortunately, the world isn’t all roses. We all have to make a living so we can’t always “love what we do.” That’s just being real, folks.

But there are things a person can do to help themselves be happier with the work they do. And many of those things are relatively easy and simple.

Wake up and smile

When you wake up in the morning, smile. You will immediately release happiness hormones. I’m not kidding, even slightly. Yep, the science is there, the more you smile, the more those happy endorphins get released. (here’s a good read on it). I am smiling right now while writing this. Man do I feel good!

Immediately list out some good things about your job or company

You don’t have to pull up to a desk and start writing a list. But you can easily make a mental note to just think up a few things that make your company great. You can think about things you enjoy about your job or your role and involvement. This will change your perception. The greatest portion of happiness is controlled by you and your own state of mind.

Exercise in the morning

There is hardly any other more amazing way to wake up than to get your blood going with a good workout. You can job, or just do some pushups or some jumping jacks. But get yourself moving. This will help you de-stress and lower your anxiety for the day. When you walk into the office, you will feel amazing.

Sometimes this feels like the hardest thing to do in the world. “I’m tired”, “I need caffeine”, “I want some candy too”, “Everyone else is eating badly, why can’t I?”. Do any of these sound familiar? You are definitely not alone. No matter how healthy of a lifestyle you live, it sure is more of a challenge to commit during work hours and with others. Sometimes it just takes a little planning ahead to stay on track and it will be totally worth it in the end. Your mind and body will thank you later.

Eating every four hours helps to keep your metabolism charged up and your energy level high. Before you head to the vending machine, reach for your own stash of low-calorie, nutritious snacks. These will satisfy when the awful 3 p.m. cravings overcome you. Here are some options:

Fruit

Bananas, apples, pears, and grapes are great and portable options to grab on your way out the door in the morning. If you take a different fruit every day you’ll obtain a good variety of nutrients, plus fiber, and won’t get bored. Let’s be honest, getting bored with the same food day in and day out is part of the reason we make poor eating decisions.

Popcorn (with Parmesan cheese)

Sound strange, trust me, it’s so good. Take regular bagged popcorn and add 2 tablespoons of shredded Parmesan. The popcorn pairs well with the rich flavor of Parmesan resulting in a quick, 150-calorie snack. If you don’t care for the cheese, have some popcorn by itself. It is only 100 calories and since it is a grain it will help to increase your energy, which will then improve your mood.

Nuts

Go ahead and switch it up. Choose nuts as an alternative to chips. Chips have no nutrients and are terrible for you. Nuts are rich in healthy fats and are good for you heart amongst other things. Bring baggies of nuts to nibble on when the 3 p.m. hunger pains start. Almonds and other nuts are a naturally high source of vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and potassium and are rich in protein and fiber.

Veggies with Ranch OR Hummus

Pack a container of fresh vegetables like carrots, celery, and broccoli. Raw veggies fill you up because of their high water and fiber content. If you want to add a little flavor try dipping them in a small amount of Ranch dressing (don’t go nuts with the ranch), hummus (yummy chickpeas – healthy), or salsa (the purer the salsa, the better).

Egg with a Kick

Make a batch of hardboiled eggs on Sunday to have on hand throughout the week. Slice the egg in half and drizzle ½ teaspoon of Sriracha for a spicy low cal snack.

Instant Oatmeal

Want something warm and comforting, make a pack of plain instant oatmeal. You can use the microwave for a quick and satisfying treat. Add your own flavorings to control the sugar intake. A healthy topping in cinnamon and nutmeg. Double whammy – fiber-rich breakfast or daytime snack. Plus oatmeal helps lower cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Avocado Heaven

This one seriously takes 2 minutes to prepare. Smash up an avocado, add olive oil and lemon pepper and mix it all together. You can prepare it in the morning and bring it to work in a container. Avocados are a superfood for the heart. They are the good fat and have so many benefits it is unreal. Warning – you won’t believe how good it tastes.

Stay healthy in the office. It is totally possible to do so. It might take an extra few moments out of your morning, but it is worth it. Make your health a top priority and you will be able to handle the obstacle courses thrown your way much more smoothly.